


Suite Dreams and Reservations

by argelfraster



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-09
Updated: 2015-02-18
Packaged: 2018-01-08 02:37:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1127345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/argelfraster/pseuds/argelfraster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A modern day AU where kingdoms are hotels and Elsa suffers from depression instead of magical powers. Eventual Anna/Kristoff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“It’s really the only solution, Elsa,” Weselton drawled condescendingly, polishing his eyeglasses.

            “Well it shouldn’t be,” seethed the towheaded girl, her fists clenched tightly around her.

            How could this have happened? Her parents’ death had been so sudden, and although Elsa had been preparing to take over the Hotel Arendelle for all her life, she suddenly felt completely out of her depth.

            “How many more times should we go over the finances until you finally understand that these measures are necessary?” the duke sighed.

            His show of concern was not fooling the teenager. Weselton had always coveted the lucrative hotel and Elsa equated his presence, even as a child, as an ominous one. It was no secret that the chain of Duke Resorts (“We’ll treat you like royalty!”) across the country was failing due to shoddy management and the duke’s penny-pinching ways. Elsa’s parents were always kind to the elderly man out of respect and gratitude, for he had provided them with the money to start up their own hotel business many years ago for reasons utterly selfish, no doubt. As a result, since Weselton owned the most stock of Arendelle, he was _ipso facto_ given sole ownership of the hotel until Elsa and her younger sister Anna were to come of age. Granted, the former Mr. and Mrs. Arendelle had not accounted for their untimely deaths, and if all had gone as planned, Elsa would have eventually ran the hotel after she had graduated from college.

            “My parents did not start up this business simply for _you_ to sell it to the highest bidder!” Elsa could hardly control her anger, the first emotion she had felt in days.

            “Please, dear, you must learn to speak more gently lest you scare the boys away,” Weselton said dismissively. He got up out of his chair and made towards the door, his ridiculous high-heeled boots clicking on the marble floor. “The truth of the matter is that although things may be dire now, you will have access to your assets once you come of age, and the same goes for Anna. Unfortunately, I simply do not have the time nor possess the effort it would take to run your parents’ hotel. Therefore, I have made the most logical decision and decided to sell it to Southern Isles. Of course you will receive part of the money—“

            “And the rest goes right into your early retirement?” Elsa snapped and stood up suddenly. She grabbed the back of her chair for help as her knees were about to give way in shock and anger.

            Weselton sniffed in annoyance. “You are an utterly ungrateful child and I wash my hands of you and your equally unfortunate sister.” With those parting words, he left the room, his two bodyguards—the product of his paranoia—trailing behind him silently.

            Once he left, Elsa sank to her knees on the cold marble of one of the many banquet rooms in the Arendelle Hotel. How would she explain this to Anna? How many times had she and her sister played in the lobby as children, imagining running the hotel themselves one day? Her parents had poured their entire lives and had sacrificed so much to build one of the most successful hotels in the country and to have it all taken away was almost unfathomable.

            “Elsa?”

            Anna crept into the room as quietly as she could—which is to say, not quietly at all. Her sister was curled up on the floor, so small that she almost didn’t see her older sister. “Elsa, I just saw _Weasel Town_ ,” her nose wrinkled in disgust, “leave. What’s going on?”

            Elsa straightened up slowly, pushing herself off the ground. She felt as though she would collapse at any minute “Things are going to be very different from now on, Anna.”

 

***

            “Good morning Mr. Eriksen,” Anna chattered agreeably to the dignified-looking older man. He had a noticeable paunch, but he always stood straight and tall, his eyes clear and serious.

            “Morning, Anna,” he rumbled. “How’s it been?” he asked absentmindedly, flipping through the _Kingdom Gazette,_ one of the many newspapers adorning the stand by the reception desk.

            “Busy,” the sixteen year old rattled. “305 checked out but left an expensive dress in the closet so she’s coming back later, the Diamond Suite has been booked for the week, and Kristoff—“

            “Who?” Mr. Eriksen asked, his eyebrows furling in mild confusion.

            “Oh, uh, the bellboy,” Anna corrected, a pretty blush staining her freckled cheeks. “Kristoff had to chase out someone earlier who was causing a ruckus—“

            “Not a guest, I hope,” he queried, his mouth beginning to pull down into a slight frown.

            Anna flinched. “No, no! Someone who had just wandered in and began to hassle—“

            “Ah.” Mr. Eriksen patted the ginger girl somewhat affectionately on the head, dismissing her conversation. “I’m going to make a couple of calls. Be a good girl.”

            “I will, Mr. Eriksen!” Anna called brightly, and without missing a beat, picked up the phone that was just beginning to ring.

            “Yes, yes, uh-huh, sure, no I’m sorry that room is booked, but the next best is currently available. Uh-huh, okay, okay, and for how long? Thank you for your business!”

            Anna hung up the phone and leaned back, heaving a huge sigh. It was still early, but the hotel was busier than ever. The holidays were always a busy time for Arendelle—Southern Isles—Anna mentally corrected herself, Hotel and Resort. It had been three years since her parents had passed away and although the pain had lessened with time, it still went against her nature to call the hotel by its new name. Andrew Eriksen was the new owner after Weselton had sold it to him at a fetching price. Furthermore, he had taken custody of the sisters after learning of their parents’ deaths for which Anna was eternally grateful. What was another two when they had already thirteen? the generous man reasoned. Although he was kind enough, Anna could never quite warm up to him as much as she had with her own father.

            After learning of her parents’ death and the dissolution of the Hotel Arendelle, the Erisken boys were quick to make Anna feel like she had gained another family. Although they had extended their hands in friendship to Elsa as well, the older girl flat out refused to have anything to do with them. Elsa, who had previously done so well in school and had never missed a day in her life, began skipping school and making bad marks. It was a miracle she had even graduated. She overslept the day of her SATs and somehow neglected to apply to any universities. Her days now were spent in her bedroom with the door tightly shut. When she came out for meals she hardly spoke a word. Before she had turned eighteen the Eriksens had put her in therapy, and Elsa had subsequently been diagnosed with depression. However, since her eighteenth birthday, she had stopped going to her weekly counseling sessions and had poured the rest of her antidepressants down the toilet. Anna, although she was sixteen, was now working full time at the hotel as well as attending school to help with living expenses. Her parents had left them quite a sum of money, but Anna's portion was stilled tied up in the bank and she had refused to let Elsa use hers. "Save it for college," she had told her older sister firmly, clinging onto the desperate hope that one day Elsa would get better. As it was, the girls were not struggling, but life had been an uphill battle since their parents' demise.

            The Eriksens had been adamant about helping with the rent, but Anna had refused. “You’ve done enough,” she told them, and it was true. They had given the sisters a home after they had lost theirs and that was more than enough. The couple had shaken their heads in dismay, but Anna was nothing but stubborn. Surely the poor girls’ luck would change soon.


	2. Chapter 2

            “Elsa?” Anna knocked on the door timidly. She didn’t even bother trying the knob—it would for sure be locked. “Elsa have you had dinner yet?” The question was a courtesy.

            Silence. Some scuffling. “No.”

            “Well Olaf had some leftovers and he insisted I take them home. It’s fish and potatoes. He also gave me a huge slice of chocolate cake—your favorite!” Olaf was the head chef at what once was the Hotel Arendelle. He was kept on when the Eriksens took over not only because they promised no lay-offs, but also because he made the best chocolate cake in the entire county.

            Elsa opened the door. Anna was hit with the slight lingering odor of unwashed bedsheets but wisely did not comment.

            Her older sister was so much thinner than she used to be. Sometimes Anna swore that if she looked at Elsa from the side, she was only a shadow. Her once luscious platinum blonde hair was matted and darker now due to poor care. Underneath her blue eyes were dark circles—almost bruise-like in color.

            Anna swept her into a hug, nestling her nose into Elsa’s neck. Although her sister probably hadn’t bathed in the past two days, she still _smelled_ familiar.

            Elsa let out a light chuckle. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked, attempting to quirk her lips up into something resembling a smile. She was trying so hard.

            Anna giggled breathlessly, happy that Elsa was having one of her good days. “Oh, nothing, I’m just happy to see you.” Grabbing Elsa’s thin hand, Anna dragged her into the kitchen where she had already set the plates. Elsa’s portion was noticeably larger than Anna’s. They sat down, but before Elsa could insist that Anna take some of hers, the ginger launched into nonstop chatter.

            “I had such a good day today, besides the crazy homeless man who came in earlier—“

            Elsa frowned. “Be nice, Anna.”

            The younger girl continued on, “But Kristoff came and showed him out and handed him that bag of carrots he always carries around with him. Can you believe someone could be so obsessed with carrots? I swear sometimes I think he’ll turn positively _orange_ from eating so many. Also he snuck his dog in today to work. Remember Sven? I let him stay with me at reception while Kristoff was working and he is just the _cutest._ ”

            “The dog or the boy?” Elsa teased, although her tone was a bit flat. She was picking at the fish, eating slowly.

            Anna snorted. “The dog! Don’t be silly, Elsa, you know the only man I think is cute is—“

            “Hans,” Elsa interjected, rolling her eyes. Her little sister’s reverence for the youngest son of the Eriksens was absolutely ridiculous. Sure, he was attractive and smart, but, he had always rubbed Elsa the wrong way.

            Anna put her fork down and smiled up at the ceiling dreamily. “Hans came by my desk today and do you know what he said?”

            “Illuminate me.”

            “Well, first he said good morning and then he asked where Mr. Eriksen was.”

            There was a pregnant pause as Elsa waited for more of the story. “Is that it?” She noted that the fish was delicious.

            “Well, no. And then he said he’d see me around later,” Anna ended with a full grin on her face. “Do you think that means, like, a date?” In between sentences she shoveled food into her mouth, ravenous as always.

            Elsa laughed, feeling a genuine smile come to her face. She polished off her potatoes. “I don’t know, Anna. Why don’t you ask him out and see what happens?”

            The younger girl blushed the color of raspberries. “D-don’t be ridiculous!”

            The sisters shared a precious moment of laughter together that then led to a serious note.

            Elsa patted her mouth daintily. The juxtaposition of her unkempt look and impeccable manners always jarred Anna. It just showed how _not okay_ her sister was.

            “I’m thinking of getting a part-time job.”

            “What?!” Anna exclaimed, partially chewed food spraying across the table in her surprise.

            Elsa took a deep breath and let it out with control, closing her eyes. “I know how hard you’ve been working, Anna, and I appreciate it so much. I know I’ve…” Her throat clenched. “…I know I’ve been difficult to live with since Mom and Dad, and I want to make it up to you.”

            “Elsa, you don’t have to make up anything to me. That’s what family is _for._ ” Anna could hardly believe her ears. “I don’t want you needlessly pushing yourself because you feel guilty. You should just concentrate on getting better. How about trying therapy again?”

            Elsa was gripping her fork so tightly she thought it would snap in two. “I don’t want to go to therapy,” she enunciated slowly. “It’s too much money and I hated all the meds they put me on—you know that!”

            Anna chewed the inside of her cheek. “I just don’t want you to get a job and then get stressed and…go back to how you were again.”

            All the food Elsa had just ate seemed to sit heavily in her stomach like a lump of clay. Anna had been so good to her all these years and she was just the shitty older sister who didn’t do anything but stay in her room and cry all day. She was so _useless._

            “I think the job will be good for me,” she said firmly. “I hate feeling like you have to take care of me, and I think this will be a good step. Maybe if this helps I can start looking into taking my SATs, too.”

            Anna twisted her fingers tightly in her lap, feeling completely absurd that she was scared of the change she had been praying for. “Just promise me that if things get tough you’ll quit, okay? We still have Mom and Dad’s money and that should help us out for a few years.”

            “I promise, and I know.” Elsa looked into her sister’s green eyes. “Thanks.”

            Anna returned a watery smile. “I love you.”

            “I love you, too.”

            They ate the chocolate cake in silence.

 

* * *

 

            “Do you see her, Sven?” Kristoff asked the overweight Bernese Mountain Dog who sat thumping his tail loudly on the floor.

            “Yeah she’s right there, go say hi!” Kristoff answered himself in a dopey voice, mimicking what he thought his dog would sound like. It was a childish habit, and he only did it when no one was around.

            Kristoff peered around the corner again, looking straight at the reception desk. Anna was sitting there, her copper hair parted _just so_ and her freckles looking as cute as ever. He strolled over to her, Sven in tow, whistling in a way he hoped was nonchalant.

            “Hey Anna!” he greeted when he got to the desk.

            Anna yelped and looked up, panicked. “Oh my God, Kristoff you scared me!”

            The large man smiled sheepishly. “Sorry about that.”

            “You’re so big I can’t believe I completely missed you,” Anna teased, noticing that he had indeed filled out in the shoulders some since last summer. “Oh and hi Sven!” She surreptitiously handed the dog a carrot. Anna always kept a supply in her desk drawer for the canine. Reason number 508 why he was completely in love with her. God she was so _perfect._

            “How’ve you been?” he ventured. Wow what a stupid thing to say, he mentally wailed.

            “Good!” she said warmly. “Elsa might be coming here to work, you know.” Kristoff noticed that her eyes were shining brightly in excitement but also anxiousness.

            “Is that, err, good?” he asked. It was so easy to carry on a conversation with Anna. She did all the talking for you. Reason number 374.

            Anna lowered her voice conspiratorially and Kristoff didn’t hesitate to lean in. He could count the freckles on her nose at this proximity. He swallowed hard.

            “I _think_ so. It’ll be good that she’s around people, but I just don’t want anyone giving her a hard time.”

            “Oh don’t you worry about that,” he said with more conviction than he felt. “If anyone bothers her, Sven and I will bother _them._ ”

            “Oh, Kristoff,” Anna breathed, a wide smile lighting up her entire face. She wrapped her arms around him as much as she could with a desk in between. “You’re the best!”

            Kristoff could swear his heart had stopped beating. When she let go he refused to make eye contact with her. “It’s really no problem,” he assured, his eyes fixated on a particularly interesting spot on the floor. “Elsa’s your sister and you’re one of my best, uh…” _don’t say the damning word, you idiot, don’t say it—_ “friends and so therefore she’s a friend of mine.” Goddammit. He had basically just sealed his own sentence.

            “I didn’t know you had friends besides that dog,” a smooth voice interjected.

            Double goddammit.

            Kristoff straightened up and faced the lanky boy next to him. “Hans,” he said coolly.

            Hans’ eyes fell to Kristoff’s nametag, making a big show of reading it although Kristoff knew for a fact the slimeball knew his name.

            “Christopher, could you leave me alone with Anna for a minute?” What a dick.

            “Sure,” Kristoff grunted, walking stiffly away. Sven followed, after whining for another carrot, which Anna promptly gave him along with a quick parting pat on the furry head.

            “Hey Hans!”

            The note of excitement in Anna’s voice carried all the way to Kristoff’s ears, causing his heart to plummet to his feet. _This is the worst._


	3. Chapter 3

“Say, Anna, what’s this I overheard you saying that Elsa would be coming here soon?” Hans asked, not without purpose. Hans almost never did anything without some sort of ulterior motive, unbeknownst to the trembling girl in front of him.

Anna beamed at him. It wasn’t often Hans stopped to talk to her, and she tried desperately to calm the butterflies in her stomach. _Be cool, Anna. Be cool._ “Elsa thought it’d be good if she had a small job for a bit to get her ah…” Anna rummaged through her mental word bank “re-accustomed to being around people.” Who was she kidding. Although she never mentioned Elsa’s depression explicitly to anyone besides Mr. and Mrs. Eriksen, it was the untold secret that everyone knew. She now blushed slightly, ashamed of her euphemism.

“That’s great,” Hans said, resting his chin on the palm of his hand leisurely. “When’s she starting—do you know?”

Anna shrugged. “I already talked to Mr. Eriksen about it, err, your dad I mean, and he said she could come whenever she wanted. He’s already drawn up all the paperwork—I guess he’s been expecting this for a while,” she ended brightly.

“Well give me a text when she comes. I haven’t seen her ages,” Hans ended nonchalantly, waving a lazy bye as he strode away to his father’s office.

Anna furrowed her brow. That was strange. He had seemed excited about Elsa just a minute ago… Perhaps she had said something wrong? Or worse…boring? The ginger shook her head violently, feeling stupid for being so self-conscious. Oh, but weren’t his eyes just _gorgeous_ today? She sank into a familiar daydream, one where she was a princess and Hans her betrothed prince. It was not until the ringing of the reception phone that she was yanked out of her reverie.

 

* * *

 

            Elsa bit her lip nervously, peering into the bathroom mirror of the apartment she shared with her younger sister. She had taken sleeping pills the other day to try and fall asleep beforeher usual curfew of 4 AM. Her dark circles had decreased dramatically, although still clearly noticeable. _Will they ever go away,_ she wondered idly to herself while anxiously re-plaiting her hair into its braid for the umpteenth time.

            Her first day at work. She wore the usual uniform of the hotel’s female wait staff—a tidy blue apron, white collared button down, and a black skirt. Elsa had asked Mr. Eriksen to not let her have an office or reception position—I need something to _do,_ she had pleaded. Sitting at a desk and waiting for calls would give her too much time to think. Mr. Eriksen had simply sighed deeply before phoning Olaf to ask if there could possibly be room for another waitress.

            “It’ll be hard work,” Mr. Eriksen had warned, his mustachioed mouth twitching downwards in concern.

            “That’s perfect,” she had reassured him firmly.

            He had simply sighed again and squeezed her slim hand in his own meaty ones. His sudden display of sentiment almost brought Elsa to tears right in the office. She uttered a quick goodbye and saw herself out before locking herself in a nearby bathroom stall to sob quietly. _I’m so dumb,_ she thought to herself, wiping her nose on a piece of toilet paper. _I cry too much._

            And here it was: the Big Day. Elsa walked in what she hoped was a confident manner into the living room and grabbed her purse.

            “Ready?” Anna squeaked in excitement, polishing off the rest of her breakfast and dropping the dishes into the sink with a crash.

            “Yeah. I’m ready.”

            They hopped on the bus headed towards the hotel. The familiar architecture brought a lump to Elsa’s throat, but she fought it down fiercely. _No crying today,_ she ordered herself. _Over my dead body._

Waitressing wasn’t so bad. Olaf had nearly smothered her to death with an overenthusiastic hug when he saw her.

            “Oh, Elsa,” he breathed, his eyes misty. “It’s so good to see you again!” He leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek, and Elsa had to swerve a bit lest his bulbous nose hit her in the eye.

            “It’s good to see you too,” Elsa smiled, arms wrapping tentatively around the man. Olaf had often let the sisters play in the kitchen— _Not by the knives!!_ Elsa remembered him shrieking—on slow days. He had always made sure to make two extra cookies, brownies, muffins, whatever sweet thing he was baking that day for them as well. When their parents had to bring them in early in the morning for whatever business they had, Olaf always made them oatmeal absolutely _loaded_ with cream and sugar. “I’ve missed you,” she said sincerely.

            Olaf sniffed loudly, wiping his eyes, before turning Elsa around and looking at her from all angles. “My dear you’re simply a skeleton!” he exclaimed.

            Elsa winced. Olaf was never one for subtlety. Her loss of weight, she knew, was unsightly. Her eating habits were awful. She was left alone for most of the day in the apartment and never ate anything until Anna came home for dinner. Elsa had learned to at least eat dinner in front of her sister because otherwise it resulted in the younger girl sobbing loudly about Elsa’s state of being. “You’re going to starve yourself to death!” she would wail, clutching at Elsa’s shoulders. She simply wasn’t _hungry._ More often than not it was difficult to feel anything at all.

            Olaf began to busy himself, ladling out a steaming hot bowl of oatmeal for the girl. Topping it with plump raisins and cinnamon he handed it to her expectantly. “Eat up!” he said cheerily. “You’ve got a lot of work ahead of you!”

            Elsa had learned a long time ago not to argue with the man. She smiled at him wearily and began to eat. It had been a long time since she had eaten any sort of breakfast.

 

* * *

 

 

            Anna was cute, Hans thought to himself as she chattered incessantly away at him. Except for those freckles. They simply _littered_ her face and shoulders. All he had asked was where Elsa was working, having received an enthusiastic text from Anna last night that Elsa would be coming to work the next day.

 

 **Anna:** Hey Hans! How are you?!! :) Elsa is going to be working tmrw!!! I’ll be at the desk as usual haha!!

 **Hans:** Cool thx Anna.

 **Anna:** No problem!!!! :) :)

 

            Hans had rolled his eyes at the texts. Did the girl not know the use of a simple period? Her desperation simply _oozed_ from her like a toxin. Sometimes after a particularly long session of her yammering Hans felt the need to scrub down particularly well in the shower.

           

“Elsa’s going to be with Olaf today! Mr. Eriksen put her on wait staff and she looked so cute in her uniform God I thought I was going to die when I saw her this morning? How long are you staying for? I feel like I don’t see you around that much, uh, I mean uh I guess you’re here as often as you need to be right?” Anna’s nervous giggles grinded on Hans’s ears.

Arranging his face into a genial expression, he chucked Anna’s chin, causing her to blush all the way to the roots of her hair. “Thanks, Anna. I’ll see you later.”

            “Bye Hans!” she called out loudly, her voice echoing through the lobby. He rolled his eyes yet again. If he stayed around her long enough he feared his eyes would someday just roll right onto the ground.  

            He passed that scruffy concierge on the way to the restaurant. Kristoff’s blonde hair was sticking up in all directions—did the boy not own a comb?

            “You better watch that attitude,” Hans warned him softly as he strolled past. Kristoff had been scowling deeply, clearly unhappy about running into the Eriksen boy. He flinched at Hans’ voice.

            “Of course, Mr. Eriksen,” he replied with as little poison as he could manage. Kristoff hated that smug look on his face, hated the way Anna was affected by him, and worst of all hated the way the doucheface treated Anna. Every time he graced the hotel with his presence it was all Anna talked about. Even when he wasn’t around it was all Anna talked about. _I feel like I know him better than his own mother,_ Kristoff thought resentfully, dragging a guest’s luggage into the elevator more roughly than usual. _Wonder what he’s up to, looking so damn pleased with himself…_

* * *

 

            Elsa was wiping down a table, humming to herself contentedly. Waiting on people wasn’t so bad. She enjoyed the snippets of conversation and she still managed to get enough alone time that she wasn’t run off her feet. Breakfast was a continental buffet. All she had to do was lay out the food and replenish them as needed, along with showing guests their seats and busing their tables after they were done. It was simple work and Elsa was happy that she _felt_ happy.

            “Elsa,” a voice came from behind her. Deep and honeylike.

            She turned around. “Hans?” A tall boy stood behind her, his auburn hair brushed back becomingly. “I hardly recognized you!” she gulped.

            He smiled. _Nice teeth,_ she noted. “Yeah I’ve grown up some since you last saw me, I should hope,” he added with what he hoped sounded like modesty.

            Elsa smiled back. “Wow it’s really good to see you.” _Am I doing small talk right?_ She thought to herself frantically. It had been so long.

            “Same goes for you. You look great.”

            Elsa felt herself blushing and was subsequently hit with a pang of surprise and guilt. “Uh, thanks,” she muttered, ducking her head embarrassedly. “Listen, I’ve got to get back to work,” she said as more guests wandered in. Thankful for their presence, she waved bye to Hans and attended to them with slightly more gusto than needed.

            Hans smiled to himself. Perhaps the older, richer sister wouldn’t be so hard to sway after all. 


	4. Chapter 4

“Are these eggs hardboiled?” an older lady asked, her failing eyes squinting hard at the basket of eggs on the buffet table.

            “Err,” Elsa stammered, “Yes?” What else would they be? _Raw?_

            “Oh I just can’t stand hardboiled eggs. They simply ruin my stomach,” the woman bemoaned, moving onto a platter of fruit.

            “I see, ma’am,” Elsa replied, although the woman had long checked out of the conversation and was now busying herself with slices of melon.

            What had Hans wanted? He had never taken in interest in either her or Anna before, so why did he come to see Elsa specifically today? _Maybe he’s just being welcoming,_ Elsa scolded herself. _No need to be so suspicious._

           But still. The youngest Eriksen was unlike his elder brothers. When Elsa and Anna’s parents died, the older Eriksens tried their best to cheer up the Arendelle sisters. One effort resulted in a football in Mr. Eriksen’s morning porridge, Elsa recalled with a small giggle. She missed those boys, but they were either married now or off at school, and she hadn’t seen them in years. _I wish I had been nicer to them,_ she thought miserably. Elsa at the time had been so devastated by her parents’ deaths that she was unnaturally cold to the rambunctious Eriksen brothers.

            “Elsa!” Olaf called from the kitchen.

            “Coming!”

            Stepping into the kitchen, the large man was prepping for the day’s lunch. “How are we doing on eggs?”

            “Just fine,” Elsa assured. “It’s been a little slow this morning.”

            Not listening to her at all, Olaf popped something into the girl’s mouth. “Eat.”

            Elsa made a sound of protest, but chewed down. It was delicious! “What is this?” she asked, when finished.

            “This new cookie recipe I’m trying. Raspberry and white chocolate, but oh it’s simply not good enough!” Olaf wailed dramatically.

            The older sister cautiously placed a slim hand on the chef’s shoulder. “Well, I thought it was simply superb.” She hadn’t touched anyone but Anna in a long time.

            “Really?” Olaf whispered, wiping away his tears of frustration.

            “Yes,” she said with what she hoped was a winning smile. “You’re the best chef I know.”

            “Oh you darling girl,” Olaf praised, kissing her sloppily on the cheek. “Now get back to work!”

            “Yes, sir,” Elsa teased before scurrying back to her station.

            Being back in the real world was nicer than she had hoped.

* * *

 

            Kristoff was lugging a bright pink suitcase up the stairs. _Why does the service elevator have to be out?_ he bemoaned. Knocking on Room 510, he called, “Your luggage is here!”

            Shuffling, and then, “Just leave it out there—I’ll get it later” through the door.

            “Err,” Kristoff began, “I suppose?”

            The woman behind the door slipped five dollars through the bottom of the door.

            “Thanks!” Pocketing the money, Kristoff gleefully made his way back to the lobby. Not many people remembered to tip, and he could use the money.

            Anna was sitting at the reception desk. How could it be that the sun filtering through the window was hitting her ginger locks in just the way to make them glimmer like a jewel?

            Gulping hard, Kristoff approached the girl he had known for ages. “Hey Anna,” he greeted.

            “Kristoff!” she said cheerily. “Sven has been such a good boy all day!” The large dog poked his black head out from the desk, giving a loud woof.

            “Shh!” Kristoff pet the dog, feeding him a carrot. “You’re not really supposed to be here, remember?” Dogs, unless they were paying customers’, were not allowed at Southern Isles Hotel and Resort.

            “Oh, so you _do_ remember that rule. I just thought you were simpleminded,” a drawling voice said behind him. _Again?_ Kristoff mentally cursed.

            “Hans,” Kristoff straightened up and turned around. “I’m sorry, sir, it won’t happen again.”

            “See that it doesn’t,” the tall boy frowned. “I hate mutts.”

            Anna looked absolutely mortified. As Kristoff left grumpily to help an old man with his luggage, Hans smiled widely at her.

            “So, Anna,” he started.

            “Y-Yes?” she stuttered. He hardly ever took such notice.

            “Elsa…do you know what she’s doing this Saturday?”

            Anna furrowed her brows. Well, if it were any other week, Elsa would be in her room as usual, but this week was different… Elsa was really trying this time. “No, I don’t, but I’m sure she doesn’t have any plans!” Anna offered. Maybe Hans was just trying to be nice.

            “Oh good,” he grinned. “Do you think you could pass along the message that I’d like to grab coffee with her Saturday morning?”

            “Sure!” Anna beamed. What a nice boy—she knew Hans really cared! How kind of him to offer to help Elsa become more social.

* * *

 

            _“What?!”_ Elsa shrieked.

            Clapping her hands to her ears, Anna repeated herself. “He just wants to get coffee!! It’s not a big deal, Elsa!”

            Her first day had been fun but tough, and the last thing Elsa wanted to hear was that her younger sister had volunteered her for a date with one of the most conniving men on the planet.

            “I _don’t_ like him that way, Anna,” Elsa tried to say more calmly. It still came off as a threat.

            Anna looked entirely bemused. “What? He’s just being nice. He wants to be friends!”

            How could Anna possibly be so naïve? Hans clearly had something up his sleeve. Elsa folded her arms tightly. “Well, I’m not going,” she said, enunciating every word slowly.

            Anna promptly dissolved into a puddle of tears. “Elsa-a-a,” she moaned. “Please? For me? He’ll absolutely hate me if you don’t go!”

            Elsa shut her eyes, wishing she could just go into her room and lock the door. _That’s what the old me would do. The new me is going to…_

            “Fine.”

            Anna looked up, her limpid green eyes overflowing with dramatic tears. “What?”

            “Fine,” Elsa repeated tersely. “I’ll go. But don’t _ever_ volunteer me for anything again without my consent.”

            Anna leapt up out of her seat. “Yay! Elsa! Thank you!” She embraced her sister so strongly Elsa feared her spine would snap.

            “Okay, okay,” she breathed, struggling for air. “Now I have to get to bed. We’ve got work tomorrow.”

            Elsa could practically feel her sister’s beaming gaze on her back as she retreated to her room. How could she disappoint someone who had taken care of her for so long? Kicking off her shoes, she laid on her bed. Saturday was going to be awful. 


End file.
